


The Dare Game

by ArgentMartin



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: And Bad Decisions, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, M/M, welcome to 12AM, yeah it's that kind of thing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-11
Updated: 2016-12-16
Packaged: 2018-09-07 20:34:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8815408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArgentMartin/pseuds/ArgentMartin
Summary: A simple challenge turns out to be more than Victoria Chase could have ever bargained for.





	1. Tuesday

**Author's Note:**

> The Alex from Target meme is alive again in the form of Max Caulfield, an 18-year-old fresh out of Seattle. Instant popularity befalls her as she steps onto the Blackwell Academy campus as a new scholarship student, where she meets the most intriguing groups of people. However, one specifically seems to have a very prominent interest in her – and Max can’t help but be just as interested back.
> 
> I don’t know what this is. As I’m waiting to transition into a new job (and woefully reminiscing about lost time I could have spent on NaNoWriMo to no avail), there’s only a few things that keep me sane – one of which being memes. So here you go.
> 
> No character deaths. No Jefferson. No time powers. Rachel is alive. Everyone's happy and gay. Rejoice. Or, should I say re-Joyce?

_Disaster_.

That was the only word Victoria Chase had to describe that Monday morning. The hallways were buzzing, more than usual, with excitement. Hardly any of them stopped to look at her with fear before scuttling away, and as she walked down the hallways, she could hear a specific repeated name in-between conversation.

 _Caulfield_.

“Who the _hell_ is Caulfield?” Victoria spat, as she, Taylor and Courtney finished up their morning pampering routine. Status was everything at Blackwell, and if you could pull off an intimidating contour, you had it in the bag. And Victoria needed the people she surrounded herself with to have at least _half_ of her demanding aura.

“I heard she’s new,” Taylor responded immediately, as she put the finishing touches on her eyebrows. “One of those Seattle hipsters. I heard her stuff’s good, though. Obviously not as good as yours,” she hastily added on, as Victoria’s nose flared. “But she has to have _some_ kind of talent to get into Blackwell.”

“I heard she works at that dinky little department store,” Courtney added, leaning against one of the bathroom sinks. “You know, Target? Not sure, though, not that anyone would actually be impressed with that.”

Taylor let out a chuckle at that, and Victoria ran a hand through her hair, thinking. There hadn’t been that much of an opportunity to assert dominance, and this would be a prime opportunity. Besides, anyone who had to spend the last dregs of their summer working at a _department store_ had to be desperate.

“We should pay her a visit. Give her a nice Blackwell welcome. She should learn what goes down here, for her own good.”

The three of them left, feeling accomplished. Another day atop the Blackwell hierarchy, nothing was changing anytime soon.

Victoria only wished she’d been right. She’d been so, so wrong.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Weeks passed, and one thing was certain – the hatred between Victoria Chase and Max Caulfield fluctuated so rapidly that it was giving their other classmates whiplash. Victoria couldn’t help the undeniable need to find something undesirable about Max to comment on, every day, without fail. And Max couldn’t hold back the snarky comebacks that made Victoria’s ears turn red as she stomped away. It was a never-ending battle of wits, and sometimes, Victoria didn’t think she was holding her own very well.

The stress was getting to her. The first time someone seemed to noticed it was at lunch one afternoon, as Victoria tried to ignore the way Nathan Prescott looked at her over a bowl of chili at her while they sat in a booth at the Two Whales. She had a full mug of black coffee in front of her, which was an immediate sign – Victoria usually wasted no time engulfing the stuff. It kept her head level, her thinking straight. But right now, she wasn’t in the mood.

She was hoping to God Nathan wouldn’t realize it, but of course, he somehow still knew her better than anyone else.

“What the fuck’s wrong with you?”

“Nothing,” Victoria grumbled back, and just to have something to do with her hands, she reached for her coffee mug and took a sip. By the look on Nathan’s face, he wasn’t buying it, nor was he amused.

“Chyeah, right. You look like shit.”

“Thanks, asshole.”

“I’m serious,” Nathan smirked, leaning back against the booth seat. “Ever since that photography groupie showed up, you’ve been acting real weird. Heh, not slipping on the insult game, are you?”

Victoria narrowed her eyes. She always hated the roundabout way he made her talk about her issues – prompting it with questions that wounded her ego. Either way, it was effective, and he knew it.

“It has nothing to do with her,” she snapped, wishing that she sounded a bit more convincing, the frustration was ruining her ruse.

Nathan’s smirk widened, and he spooned some chili into his mouth. “As hot as it is watching you two fight it out, I don’t like that you’re stressed. It stresses _me_ out. Stress gives you grey hairs, and I gotta stay pretty.”

Victoria snorted loudly as Nathan put down his spoon again.

“I bet you ten bucks you couldn’t go a whole week hanging with her.”

“I’m sorry – what?”

“You got it,” Nathan grinned, leaning back again and showing ten fingers. “Ten whole bucks, not that either of us need it, to prove you can totally stop this at any time.”

Victoria glanced down into her coffee, jaw set. “What’s in it for you?”

“Satisfaction,” Nathan shrugged. “But if you do it, I’ll stay out of your hair. And I’ll let you have bragging rights until we graduate.”

Victoria leaned back against her side of the booth, surveying Nathan, her expression pointed and frustrated. She was having a hard time understanding what he was getting out of this, still – was this a funny fucking joke, or something? Nonetheless, she couldn’t ignore her natural need to rise to any challenge he put in front of her.

“Fine.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

She was going to go insane.

Ms. Grant was making positively sure Victoria’s life was as difficult as possible by rearranging the seating of the lab tables. Apparently, it was to conserve space, and to create a more interactive environment for brainstorming. Everyone had their names written on index cards. Victoria, of course, was still with her regular Science partner, Nathan. Curious, she walked over to examine the names directly opposite their lab table, and felt her heart sink right into the linoleum floor.

Warren Graham and Max Caulfield.

“Oh, of course.”

Perhaps the two worst people to share table space with. Warren was in constant rant mode, and he couldn’t stop making pop culture references, or talking about inane theories he’d spent hours watching documentaries of on YouTube. To make matters even worse, Max never seemed to discourage this. If anything, she seemed more interested in what he had to say than the actual class.

Nathan was looking at her expectantly, most likely waiting for the last quip she could muster before being forced into such close proximity with Max. Victoria sniffed, nose in the air, and she forced herself down into her seat, bracing herself for one of the most frustrating lectures she would ever have to deal with in her life.

A few minutes later, students started flooding in. Victoria was busy distracting herself by initiating conversation with Nathan, until she finally heard the scraping of chairs and desk stools. She tilted her head up, and was finally brought face-to-face with Max. She was gazing at them with one of those curious, doe-eyed looks, and Victoria wondered, vaguely, whether Max was trying to figure out when the inevitable verbal abuse would be coming.

But it didn’t. Victoria remained phlegmatic, even if she could feel her chest swell with the fire of trying to remain as such. Or, maybe there was another reason. As Max slid on top of the lab stool, their eyes met. Victoria took in as much of Max’s expression as she could, looking a lot longer than should be allowed.

She was brought back to reality with the sounds of more scraping lab stools, and set her jaw as Warren took his own seat, immediately turning to Max to discuss some amazing realization he’d just come up with about String Theory. Were they even studying String Theory? Either way, Victoria watched as Max started arranging her desk environment, and she gave her head a slight shake as she went to arrange her own.

_Chill, Vic. It’s a stupid dare and it’ll be over in a week._

But as class went on, Victoria’s mind started to wander. It wasn’t as though she was normally completely invested – high marks came naturally anyways. Her eyes fell on Max, who was scratching down notes in a battered old spiral notebook, to Warren, who was leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed as he surveyed the chalkboard with genuine interest, to Nathan, who wasn’t paying attention at all, but occasionally glanced at Warren himself.

_Huh. Fucking weird. I’ll need to bother him about that later._

An hour and twenty-five minutes couldn’t have gone fast enough. By that time, everyone had been assigned group projects. Like fucking middle school. Great.

“Uh…Victoria?”

Max was talking to her. Probably something about the project. Victoria didn’t respond right away, she made quite sure to make a show of putting all her things away, her back turned. A minute went by, and Victoria had to accept that Max wasn’t planning on moving until she heard her out. She leaned back up, shouldered her bag, and tried not to look too deep into how Max was leaning so casually against their lab station.

“What do you _want_ , Max?”

She tried to make it as biting as possible, but Max still wouldn’t budge. Like she was already over it. Like Victoria was boring her with the every-day routine. What a bitch.

“Nothing,” Max shrugged, bringing her fingers up to toy with one of the bits of plastic on the strings of her hoodie. “I just have a question. About the project?”

“Spit it out, then,” Victoria grimaced. “I don’t have all fucking day.”

“Well, neither do I,” Max retorted, slightly defensive. Victoria felt a twitch of a smirk on her face. Good, she liked that. “I’ve got work later. That’s why I wanted to talk. Do you wanna maybe meet up and talk about stuff? Because I’m pretty sure you’re way better at Science than I am, and I think we could get a lot more done if we all figure out when to meet up and work togeth-“

Victoria raised a hand, and Max clammed up immediately. As cute as the ranting was, she couldn’t deal with it now. Not when there were so many thoughts still invading her head.

“Chill the fuck out, you’ll give yourself a seizure. When do you get off? I figure late, working at a place like Target. Isn’t that considered slave labor or something? Don’t they give you too many hours and not enough wage for just folding clothes or whatever?”

Max frowned at her, and Victoria suddenly remembered the bet Nathan proposed. If she was going to survive hanging with Blackwell’s Finest Selfie Taker, she’d have to try to be somewhat-friendly. She wasn’t sure why the thought made her simultaneously angry, and gave her stomach that sick, fluttery feeling.

“That’s not all we do, Victoria. But yeah, I get off at 10.”

“Meet me at my room at 10:15,” Victoria said, as she stood up from her lab station. She was level with Max now, an inch closer and she’d just barely brush her hand against Max’s still resting on the table. She swallowed hard, and quickly strode past her, with purpose, with urgency, so Max had no second thoughts about following her.

“And Caulfield?”

“Yeah?”

“If you’re late, I’m locking you out,” Victoria quipped over her shoulder, as she approached the door. “So _be on time_.”

She could’ve sworn she heard an amused snort as she disappeared into the halls of Blackwell Academy, and whether Victoria wanted it to or not, a small smile found its way onto her face.

This was going to be a hellish fucking week.


	2. Your Friends Suck

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sleepover at Vic's place? An early-morning welcome from Blackwell's own Rebel Community? What could go wrong? Well, if Chloe's on the same floor, probably Armageddon. But you didn't hear that from me.

_9:45PM._

By this time, most of Arcadia Bay’s residents were winding down for the night. Streets were quiet, instead of the regular hum of cars and people dragging boats along the road.

Blackwell Academy was no different. There was no more scraping of sneakers against tile floors. Most dorm rooms were silent, doors closed for the day. People should be using this time to relax. And even though Wells seemed to suck the fun out of everything that came within a 100-mile radius around his school, a few students managed to escape the confines of their curfew every night.

Victoria was one of them, usually. Smoking a bowl with Nathan on the bleachers of their football field just seemed more inviting when she didn’t have to deal with shitstain students all day.

But tonight, it was different. Nathan could find a way to amuse himself this time.

_9:50PM._

The luminescent numbers on her stereo clock seemed to taunt her. _You’re waiting for Max Caulfield. You could be doing anything else, but you’re sitting on your couch, browsing through modern, pristine HD cameras on your tablet, and you’re waiting for Maxine Fucking Caulfield to show up and find some way to make your life less miserable. How pathetic you must be._

With a low groan at her own thoughts, Victoria took one of the silk pillows from her couch and placed it over her stereo, blocking the time from view. Yeah, fuck that clock. One less thing breathing down her neck. Expecting too much of her energy.

Victoria thought she would pass the time playing Candy Crush. At least, that was the plan. But as she swiped through her apps, her thumb found the contacts tab, and hovered over Max’s name, “Selfie Ho”, marked with the camera emoji. _Ha. Hilarious. Four for you, Vic._

A few seconds later, she was typing away.

 

 **VICTORIA** :  
What the fuck are you doing? Did they rope you into extra hours or something?

 

She was very well-aware of the fact that it was only 9:57 at this point, but she’d always been impatient. Unexpectedly, her phone buzzed after only a few seconds.

 

 **SELIFE HO:**  
relax. i thought i wasn’t supposed to show up until 10:15?

 **VICTORIA:**  
I’m the one asking the questions, Caulfield.

 **SELFIE HO:**  
wow ok officer. im closing tonight. these assholes won’t leave the store. i wanna go home for christ’s sake :(

 **VICTORIA:**  
Can’t you like, call security and get them thrown out? Or do you not make enough to afford it?

 **SELFIE HO:**  
i mean yeah i could but that’s usually for extreme cases

 **VICTORIA:**  
Not seeing the problem.

 **SELFIE HO:**  
oh my god you’re impatient

 **VICTORIA:**  
Obviously. Stop wasting time.

 **SELFIE HO:**  
stop texting me then, you’re distracting me

 **VICTORIA:**  
Not my problem you’re slacking on the job.

 

No response. Max was probably focusing on her closing shift. Still, Victoria couldn’t help but feel offended. How dare she? She couldn’t be _that_ busy if she could go back and forth in text for an entire three minutes.

Victoria waited. And waited. She knew only a few minutes had gone by, but they dragged by agonizingly as she lay her back on her couch, staring up at the dark ceiling of her dorm room.

She had no idea why the thought of seeing Max made her unnecessarily anxious, but here she was.

Closing her eyes, Victoria didn’t realize she’d dosed off until she was woken up by a buzz against her stomach. Her heart jumped and she sat up immediately, staring at the lit-up screen.

 

 **SELFIE HO** :  
boo

 

“Goddamn it,” Victoria hissed, rubbing at her chest. There was a knock at the door, followed by a creak as Max slowly edged her way in. “Couldn’t have warned me, could you?”

“Sorry, did I scare you?” Max grinned. “I didn’t think you were such a scardey-cat, Victoria.”

“Shut the fuck up, Caulfield. Are we doing this thing or what?”

Still smiling that annoyingly smug smile, Max closed the door behind her, and Victoria’s eyes zoned in on the tray Max was carrying in her arms. Two Venti’s from Starbucks. As she sat down, Max handed her one of the cups, a Vanilla Latte, and took a sip of her own. Hot chocolate, from a glance at the label. How funny. She couldn’t even be hipster enough to have a regular hipster drink, not even a mocha.

Wait.

“You know my Starbucks order?” Victoria asked, raising an eyebrow. “Putting those nosey snooping skills to use?”

“Very funny,” Max rolled her eyes. “This one time in Photography class, you were having a bad day or something and told Taylor ‘If you don’t have a Vanilla Latte, I don’t want to hear it, Taylor’. I kinda just figured. Plus, I get free Starbucks anyways.”

“Huh. Maybe keeping you around is worth something after all.”

“Man, I’m so flattered.”

This was weird. Having someone other than Nathan or Taylor or Courtney in her room was awkward enough, but it was strange having _Max_ here without immediately wanting to kick her out. Though, when she looked over at Max’s calm, optimistic face (was that a hint of nerves she saw?), she highly considered it.

“I went to the library on my lunch break,” Max continued, rousing Victoria from her thoughts. She was dedicated to this project, wasn’t she? “I printed out some pages on Deoxygenation, but I figure we could probably use the internet too.”

“Have you ever heard of Wikipedia, Max?” Victoria snorted, sitting up to stride over to her computer desk. She moved her own chair to the side, bringing one of her nice ones over for Max. “No one uses reference books anymore. Or goes to the library. God, you really are a useless hipster, aren’t you?”

Max shrugged, and followed the lead as she sat next to Victoria at the computer, sliding her camera bag off her shoulder. Now shoulder-to-shoulder, Victoria had nothing to distract herself from Max’s profile as she opened tabs on the computer.

“I trust books more than I trust the Internet. You know anyone can post anything they want, right? Misinformation kills.”

“Let’s just get this over with, before the _nerd disease_ you and Warren carry around rubs off on me.”

An hour or two passed. Victoria retained the information for only long enough to produce a competent thesis, but Max was still the center of her thoughts.

Fucking Max, who pointed at the screen and looked so excited when she found something interesting.

Fucking Max, who decided to take a break from studying by watching YouTube videos. Goddamn, keyboard cat was classic.

Fucking Max, whose shoulder was really, _really_ comfortable, despite the fact that the jacket she refused to take off was so fucking tacky…

_Wait, what?_

Victoria wasn’t sure how much time passed since they started. A few words floated through her mind, like static. _Deoxygenation. Photo redox catalysis. If glucose, being a complex carbohydrate has been converted to hexane, then simpler oxygenated versions that form the intermediates of fuel burning can easily be converted…_

She’d fallen asleep. On Max. Shit.

She moved her head an inch or two, and realized there was another weight on her head as she tried to move. Apparently, Max had fallen asleep as well, there was now quiet instead of furious typing. The warmth that radiated from her felt _so fucking good_.

But that was the thing about Max. As much as Victoria hated it, she was a comforting presence. The stupid graphic tees and grey jacket greeted you like an old friend. Max always listened. She remembered.

Maybe that was why she had so many friends. _Actual_ friends.

_Don’t think about it, Vic._

Truth be told, it was hard not being envious of Max. Things seemed so easy. They should have been, anyway.

_Snap out of it._

Victoria watched Max for a few more seconds. Or was it minutes? Either way, she finally brought herself together enough to try shaking her awake.

“Caulfield. Caulfield. _Max_.”

Nothing, except for a whine and a shift in position. Victoria moved her head out from under Max’s, preemptively giving her space to wake up if she needed it. But instead, Max curled up into Victoria's side with a wide yawn, and fell right back to sleep.

 _Well, fuck_.

Now she was stuck. Granted, she could very easily shake Max awake and tell her to fuck off back to her own dorm. But, her own energy was wearing down, and she couldn't summon her usual bite.

Instead, Victoria stretched out her joints, tense from the studying, and carefully wiggled her way out of Max’s grip. God, she was clingy. Typical. As if dealing with her optimism and kindness wasn't enough, she just _had_ to be cute.

She hated it. The fact that Max was so simple, so easy to please – and still such an enigma.

Max was heavy as fuck as she tried to lift her from her seat, but she slept like a rock, even as Victoria settled her into her bed. She would've made her take the floor, it was comfortable and plush enough for one night, but…what the hell.

Victoria threw one of her softer blankets around Max, who immediately curled up in them in her sleep. Yawning widely herself, she took several of her own pillows to the couch. She could deal with the consequences tomorrow.

But for now, sleep.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“Knock it the fuck off.”

It was morning. Blackwell students were just waking up. The campus was stirring with life as their classmates greeted each other from up and down the hallways, started their morning routines. It should’ve been serene, except something seemed to hit Victoria right in the head, like a huge brick.

For a moment, she thought it was a pounding headache. But she felt another soft pillow hit the back of her bedhead, and she lifted her head to glare at the other side of the room.

Max Caulfield, wide awake and sitting cross-legged on her bed, was throwing pillows at her. Giving her that amused little grin.

And then she remembered. Waiting for Max to show up. Studying. Drinking coffee. Falling asleep. And while Victoria fully and completely expected her to wake up and drag herself back to her own dorm, here Max was, being incessantly annoying.

“Sorry, you weren’t waking up and I wanted to be gentle about it. It’s half past seven.”

“Just shake me awake then, for the love of- half past _seven_? Fuck.”

Victoria made no effort to move, though, as she rubbed at the sleep in her eyes.

“Why didn’t you wake me up sooner? You just let me sleep in?”

“Well, I’m sorry!” Max responded, holding her hands up in front of her in defense. “I just woke up myself. You _did_ keep me up late last night. I could’ve been asleep after my shift.”

“You weren’t complaining last night.”

“Neither were you. I think you were actually enjoying yourself.”

Victoria paused. Enjoying herself. Sounded fake. Except she really had. She couldn’t really remember the last time she enjoyed herself with another person. Most people would have expected the Vortex Club to be on the list, but she was there to organize, to party, to be a demanding presence. Connections. Not _friends_. People she could see herself collaborating with in the future to upscale her career. Not _friends_.

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

Max shrugged. “Maybe I would. It’s kinda nice seeing you without a scowl on your face.”

Victoria immediately frowned, and Max laughed as she got up to stretch.

“I’ll take that as a sign to get out of your hair. “

She didn’t want her to leave. Not really. But Victoria knew it would be the best for her image. Their social circles didn’t mend, _at all_. She was one-hundred percent sure Max wouldn’t clash well with the Vortex Club, and like hell Victoria would spend the day hanging around people like Alyssa and Stella and Brooke.

“Yeah, fuck off and let me wake up. Try not to let anyone see you.”

Victoria watched as Max shook her head, walking over to pick up her camera bag from the floor. She should say something. Thank her for the company. But goddamn it, she was so tired and planned on going back to sleep for at least another thirty minutes.

When Max slowly creaked the door open, there was blissful silence for a moment or two. Then a burst of noise. Someone was trying to skateboard across the dorm room floor and nearly crashed right into Max’s door across the hall.

Victoria could clearly see a flash of blue rush past her open door, long, auburn hair following right behind with jovial laughter. Which could only mean one thing.

_Oh, no. No no no._

“Goooood morning, Ma- woah, wait. What the fuck?”

Chloe Price clearly realized she was at the wrong door seconds after she came to a screeching halt, because instead of turning to her right like she normally would, she looked at Max, peered into Victoria’s open dorm room behind her head, and pushed her way to the doorframe, leaning against it with her hands in the pockets of her jacket and a wide grin on her face. Looking right at her. Victoria gave her the dirtiest glare she had in her arsenal.

“Well, fuck me with a rusty spoon. Good morning, _sunshine_. Nice hair.”

_I hate Nathan._


	3. Breakfast at the Two Whales

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max and Victoria bond over waffles and an omelet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've written three chapters of this in three days. One day, I'll learn how to quit.

“Get _out_ , Price.”

It was the rudest awakening she could’ve ever imagined. Victoria almost felt guilty for Max, as she stood behind Chloe, pinching the bridge of her nose. How she managed to keep someone like _this_ under wraps, Victoria never understood. And she wasn’t planning to anytime soon.

“Aw, why?” Chloe frowned. “Can’t I wish my fellow Blackwell students a good morning?”

“I wouldn’t call it _good_ ,” Victoria grimaced. “I _believe_ I told you to get the fuck out.”

“Listen, if this is about you and Max being bed buddies, I’m totally all for it,” Chloe pressed on. Victoria’s face flared, and she swung her legs out of her bed. “I mean, let’s be honest, the trope’s classic. Still thought she would’ve gone for me, because y’know, the Price is always right. But she’s my best friend, so it’s my duty to love her unconditionally. Well, maybe some conditions. Like not telling me you were _dating_.”

Chloe turned to give Max an accusatory stare.

“ _Chloe,_ ” Max warned dangerously. “She’s not my–“

Victoria couldn’t listen to the rest of the defense. She promptly strode over to the door, pushed at Chloe’s shoulder and slammed the door right behind them.

“I think I pissed her off,” she heard Chloe’s muffled voice saying, as two pairs of feet started walking back to the other end of their floor. She made absolutely sure she couldn’t hear Rachel and Chloe anymore before moving away, and she slowly sat at the edge of her bed.

Of all the people in the entire world, _Max_ had to be the one with the most socially disruptive human being she’d ever met in her life as a best friend. No matter how well Victoria managed the chaos in her life, nothing could prepare her for an _actual_ human tornado.

Victoria went back to sleep, and tried to block Max and Chloe and Rachel and that entire social group out of her mind. She didn’t even budge as her phone buzzed once, twice, three times. Her various social media and club responsibilities, probably. They could wait.

Half an hour later, she finally summoned the strength to sit up again, stretching before moving around her dorm gracefully to prepare for the day ahead. Victoria glanced at her cellphone, perched proudly on her study desk, and looked through her notifications.

There was one from a group chat, the one Taylor and Courtney had created so the three of them could keep in constant touch. They were so attention-seeking. It would’ve been cute if they weren’t constantly following her every move, however much satisfaction Victoria pulled from it.

Over thirty from the other Vortex Club group chat. She thought she’d already muted that. Hayden was reminding everyone about the football game tailgate party they were hosting on Saturday. Right. She’d completely forgotten.

One from Max.

Victoria hesitated, then grabbed her shower supplies as she headed down the hallways, leaving her phone on her desk deliberately. If she was going to give her some bullshit apologizes and excuses for Chloe’s behavior, she didn’t want to hear it. Her mind was still reeling. _Dating_. And it pissed her off how nice that sounded.

When she returned, Victoria donned one of her designer cashmeres, a pair of Louis Vuitton blue jeans (she was feeling casual), and after parking herself in front of the mirror to do her hair, she finally grabbed her phone from her desk to look at the text from Max.

 

 **SELFIE HO** :  
breakfast at the two whales?

 

Interesting. Usually, she tried to avoid that tin bucket of a diner unless she needed her quick caffeine fix, or Nathan wanted to stop for a quick bowl of chili. He was obsessed with that shit. And Victoria had to admit, a Belgian Waffle courtesy of Joyce Price sounded damn good at that point.

 

 **VICTORIA:**  
Give me ten minutes. Meet me in the parking lot.

 

Victoria was hoping the parking lot would be safe enough – most Blackwell students kept to themselves on campus in the morning. She had to groan at herself, as she put the finishing touches to her hair and the bead necklace that rested perfectly around her neck. Was she seriously _that_ ashamed of Max? Yes, she was. Max was a dork, at the very least. A useless dork that probably wouldn’t make it past their graduation from Blackwell. Probably destined for local magazines and newspaper articles featuring her photography work. Like the rest of them.

_Like me._

She couldn’t be around people like Max. She was determined, she _needed_ to get out of this hellhole of a city. She needed to prove to everyone that she wasn’t just all talk, money and family friends in high places. Even _if_ that was a big part of it.

More than anything, she needed to prove to her parents that she could do it _without_ their fucking charity.

_Focus, Victoria._

She was so thankful that it was too early for people to want to bother her as she headed to the Blackwell parking lot minutes later. Bombardments of Vortex Club prospects and art festivals she was expected to speak at were the normal morning routine, but things seemed quiet. Still serene. The sun was just peeking out from behind the dark trees.

It was the perfect time for a photo.

Victoria was halfway into the parking lot when she decided, it was now or never. She reached into her messenger bag for her Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, stepped back a few paces, and waited. Until the exact moment she wanted.

She took the shot. Previewed it in the small screen. Victoria frowned at it. Mediocre, at best.

Somewhere nearby, she heard the click and shutter of another camera. A sound she knew all too well.

Victoria turned around, and Max was shaking a freshly-taken polaroid.

_Great minds think alike, I guess._

Max was standing next to her now, and Victoria glanced at the polaroid in her hand. It turned out so well. Defined colors. The vintage tint of polaroid wasn’t distracting, not like pristine HD. Hues of orange, pink and yellow were clearly the stars of the photo, and with the trees and the outlying city aligning the lower portion of the sunrise.

Simple. Nothing particularly artistic, except it looked so much more genuine than anything Victoria had ever produced with her Canon.

“Just couldn’t leave the camera alone for a morning, could you?” Victoria smirked, and Max looked up to give her a slightly-sheepish smile.

“It was the perfect moment. Can I, uh, see what you got?”

“Hell no, Caulfield. I’m not letting you touch this thing. You know it was four-thousand dollars, right?”

Max placed a hand on her chest, with a stupid, over-exaggerated expression of offense. “I’m not gonna break it!”

“I’m sure.” Victoria narrowed her eyes. She had to admit, if she was going to trust anyone with the proper way of handling camera studio equipment, it’d be Max Caulfield. She handed it over and watched as Max scrolled through the last few photos, finally ending on the sunrise.

“…Wowsers.”

“Never say that phrase in my presence again.”

“But Victoria, your photos are _awesome_ ,” Max breathed, and Victoria could sense actual awe in her voice. It made heat rise in her cheeks. “Seriously. These are way better than anything my clunky polaroid can produce.”

Victoria shrugged. “It _was_ 4k. If it didn’t produce amazing shit, I’d have to have a little chat with its distributor.”

“It’s not just the camera,” Max continued. “It’s the skill of the shot. You have a great eye, Victoria. Dare I say Richard Avedon-esque?”

The flush on Victoria’s face was moving to her ears now, and she gently took the camera away from Max, putting it back in her bag to distract her from noticing. “Are you kissing my ass?”

“Well, I mean. Not literally.”

Victoria choked on air and Max laughed out-loud. Shit. It was an adorable laugh.

“Uh, ew, gross. Keep that gay shit to yourself.”

“Whatever, Victoria.”

Victoria knocked her shoulder with Max’s, urging her to move. “We’re not getting any younger, Caulfield. Let’s go eat.”

Max groaned, and a loud grumble from her stomach followed. Victoria snorted with laughter, and Max nudged her shoulder back. Victoria caught a very deep, defined blush.

“Shut up, I’m super hungry. I’m ready to nosh on some pancakes.”

“Then get in, loser.”

“Alright, Regina George. Lead the way.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

The breakfast rush at the Two Whales was always lively and busy. Years ago, when the Prices first moved to Arcadia, the news of Joyce’s five-star cooking skills quickly spread. It wasn’t hard to get the diner up and running, and with Joyce as one of the main cooks and waitresses, it became the go-to place for a good breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Even Victoria, who didn’t hang around this part of town and did most of her shopping in upper Arcadia, knew she wouldn’t get better comfort food anywhere else. She couldn’t remember the last time her parents cooked. Their butler was _hardly_ a chef.

Maybe that’s why there was a little buzz of excitement in her chest when she and Max found a booth to sit in, in the back by an old jukebox that Victoria was sure was on its last dregs of life. A quick sweep of the diner with her eyes confirmed that no other students were around. Good.

A waitress came by with water for them, and then it was quiet. Neither of them knew what to say to each other. Max was rocking a fork back and forth on the table, wincing as it occasionally knocked against a salt shaker. Victoria was staring out the window, avoiding looking at her. As though letting Max look her in the eye would allow her to see right through her. Inside her, right down to the parts of her Victoria didn’t even let _Nathan_ know about.

She wasn’t ready for that. She _couldn’t._

Minutes passed, and the appearance of their waitress broke the tension. Victoria jumped at the opportunity at once, and ordered a Belgian Waffle. Max, the Bacon Omelet with two pancakes.

“Don’t tell me you’re actually planning to _eat_ all of that,” Victoria asked, crossing her arms and raising a brow. “You sure you won’t explode?”

“Ha. You’d be surprised. No food item has ever been safe from the black hole vacuum that is my stomach,” Max said, pointing to her stomach for emphasis. “When you grow up with a woman like Joyce cooking for you, you learn to pace yourself so you can eat it all.”

“So you were a slob back then too, is what I’m getting at,” Victoria smirked.

Huffing, Max finally stopped playing with the fork on her side of the table. “Rudeness, rudeness all around.”

“Alright, but seriously. What the fuck are we doing here?”

They stared at each other for a long few seconds, and Max’s frown twitched.

“Eating breakfast.”

“I’m _aware_ , genius,” Victoria sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “I mean, _why_ did you invite me? You haven’t started on a tirade about Price opening her big gay mouth, I expected you to tell me she’s ‘really nice when you get to know her’ or something.”

“Well, she is,” Max responded casually, and Victoria rolled her eyes. “But that’s not why I invited you.”

“Spit it out, then.”

Max shifted in her seat a bit. Victoria watched, expectant.

“I just…I dunno. I thought it would be nice? Since we’re working on the project together. I thought maybe, y’know-“

“Did you think we were going to be _friends_ or something?” Victoria’s words were cutting, and she could almost feel Max recoil. “Sorry, Caulfield, but I’m not buying that bullshit. You hate my friends. I hate your friends; your friends hate me-“

Max cut her off. “I don’t think you’re as bad as you try to make people think you are.”

“I’m sorry?”

They stared at each other. Max was doing that thing again – that thing where she looked at the good in people.  And Victoria was having none of it from her.

“You talk a big game, but if you really hated me, you wouldn’t have agreed to come out with me at all. Or spend the night with me. Or make sure I was comfortable while I slept.”

“We studied, you fell asleep,” Victoria grumbled under her breath. “That’s it.”

“Yeah, okay, Victoria.”

A tense silence followed, and Victoria was grateful as Joyce finally came to their table with their food. She winked at Max, gave Victoria a warm smile, and disappeared behind the diner counter again. Immediately, they both delved into their plates. It was fantastic. Only the sounds of eating between them, grunts of approval. They looked up at each other once to nod, and went back to the food.

Victoria had lost the bet. That was for certain. There was no way she could let Max get close. And if she let her guard down, God – Victoria was absolutely sure she would let her. When there were no consequences, except letting Max get to know her. But there were, and they both knew that.

When they were both finished, full and satisfied, and their plates were taken away, Victoria was once again faced with no distractions as she looked over the booth at Max. She crossed her arms, leaned against the back of their booth, and spoke quietly.

“…Maybe you’re right.”

“Sorry, what was that?” Max leaned in a bit, leaning her elbows on the table. “I didn’t quite catch what you said.”

“Maybe you’re not as annoying to be around as I used to think,” Victoria said hastily, picking up her glass of water. “Granted, Price isn’t around to ruin my life, so that’s not saying much, don’t get excited. But I _guess_ I could give you another chance to prove me wrong.”

Victoria really hated the way Max’s eyes lit up, and she flashed her that dorky smile.

“I knew I was right.”

“Ugh, okay, doofus. Let’s get out of here before Madsen issues an APB on our asses.”

They quickly made their way out of the booth, Max waved to Joyce, and they slid into Victoria’s car, back to Blackwell.


	4. The Room Where It Happens

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Broadway's a real good way of bringing people together. Also, Nathan and Victoria are way too similar, it's almost scary.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are starting to get real gay. Not sorry 'bout it.

Blackhell was particularly annoying today.

A few people had started noticing that Victoria was spending a lot more time with Max. Mostly people they were close to, like Dana – who wasted no time ranting and raving about how “cute” it was and how “long” they’d been waiting for them to finally admit to being friends. Three days into this bet with Nathan, and Victoria was already having daily migraines.

She hated it.

Nathan wasted no time, either. At lunch, he stared over at her as she typed away at her phone. Max was telling her about the Hamilton screening party they were having at Dana and Juliet’s dorm. Brooke somehow managed to get a bootleg of it, and no one seemed to question the legality of it. She didn’t even want to watch with them, which was expected. She’d rather be poking screwdrivers into her drones. But, she promised Max one more chance to prove she wasn’t as lame as she presented herself to be.

Victoria was definitely regretting it now.

“You’re whipped,” Nathan suddenly said, as he bit into his sandwich. Victoria grimaced at him.

“Ew, no. It’s just funny, that’s all. She’s so desperate to be on everyone’s good side, she’s convinced her fake, nerdy charisma’s going to work with me. Like hell.”

“You owe me ten bucks.”                                                     

“Not quite, Prescott,” Victoria pointed her chopsticks full of rice at him. “The week’s not over yet. If I’ve survived this long, I’m golden until next Tuesday. The bet’s in full swing.”

Nathan raised an eyebrow at her. “I’m not so sure this is about the bet anymore, Vic.”

Victoria went back to her sushi, jabbing at a roll with more force than was necessary. “Of fucking course, it is. What are you talking about?”

“I might need to revise some of the rules,” Nathan said, matter-of-factly. “I don’t think you hanging with her unwillingly isn’t cutting it for ten whole bucks.”

“Oh, fuck off,” Victoria huffed. “I’ll _try_ to make more of an effort to be her friend, alright? You’re literally going to murder my social status. If my reputation in the Vortex Club is tarnished because of this, I’m hanging you from a flag pole.”

Nathan snickered, taking another bite. “You said it, not me. See? I think you actually want it.”

Victoria let a low breath out of her lungs. Then an idea clicked. “It’s charity.”

“ _Charity_?”

“Yeah, charity,” Victoria said, almost proudly. “If they see I’m willing to make friends with even the lowest in the Blackwell social food chain, they’ll look on me more favorably. ‘Victoria Chase, resident Blackwell Photography star, includes _all_ of Blackwell Academy in her social circle, proving that she’s as selfless as she is talented’.”

A pause.

“That’s the worst excuse I’ve ever heard you come up with. And you used to tell our parents we were studying in the library when we went to go visit Frank. When we were _twelve_.”

“ _They_ were the ones stupid enough to believe it,” Victoria shrugged. “Still, this isn’t some…some _excuse_ to be Max’s friend. I don’t need friends.”

Nathan’s face hardened, and Victoria sighed.

“Other than you.”

“Damn right,” he muttered back, finishing off his sandwich.

The subject seemed to have been dropped, and Victoria was 100% okay with that. She went back to her sushi, and after a few minutes, she remembered what she’d wanted to ask Nathan about his behavior in Photography class on Tuesday.

“You were acting really weird with Warren the other day.”

Nathan didn’t look up at her, almost completely still as he swiped at his phone. Victoria could tell she hit a nerve, and she pressed on.

“Weirder than usual, I mean. You aren’t threatening to punch his face in whenever he talks anymore.”

“To most people, that’d be considered a good thing. Don’t look into it too much, okay?”

Okay, Nathan was _definitely_ acting fucking weird. But, he was unwilling to talk, and Victoria had enough on her plate to worry about anyway. She finished her sushi and stood up from their table, placing a hand on his shoulder as she left. He didn’t look up, but he placed his hand over hers, squeezing for a second before pulling away. Letting her know that he was still there, that things were okay.

At least, for now. But that was enough.

 

 

* * *

 

  

According to Max, Hamilton was going to be two and a half hours long. They were planning to get everyone together by the time everyone was out of class. Victoria wasn’t even _sure_ what Hamilton was, but apparently, it was the new thing to be into. Why Max thought it was a good idea to make her watch it to prove she was worth staying around, Victoria didn’t understand. But the odds of it working were already wavering against her favor.

Around five, Victoria made her way to Dana and Juliet’s place. Being fellow Vortex Club members, it made it a lot less awkward being the first one to show up.

“Victoria’s here, Juliet!” Dana called across the room, as she moved out of the way to let her in. Victoria didn’t like the look Dana was giving her – it was too knowing. Too _expectant_. “Time to start the fucking partaaaaay!”

“You’re embarrassing,” Victoria groaned, taking a seat on Dana’s bed.

“You don’t know the half of it, Vic,” Juliet commented from the other side of the room, where she was making sure the show was queued up properly.

“What the hell even _is_ Hamilton?” Victoria asked. “Caulfield didn’t explain.”

Juliet turned slowly to look at Victoria, as though she’d just asked the most offensive question she’d ever heard in her life. Dana just looked sympathetic.

“Oh, Vic,” Dana sighed, moving to sit next to her on her bed. “It’s a musical. Probably the best one you’re ever going to see in your life, so as one of my heroes, Scar, would say: be prepared.”

“ _Broadway_?” Victoria spat, leaning back against the bed. She couldn’t believe this. Several memories of operas and shows popped up from her childhood – her parents always insisted that she remained cultured. Usually, Victoria used it to stock up on memorabilia for her room at home. She could appreciate the artistic value of the stage, but when it came to getting invested, well, she’d rather be taking photos.

“You’ll like it, I promise,” Dana insisted, laying back next to Victoria. Her warmth was intoxicating, and Victoria didn’t have the heart to move away. “Have I ever steered you wrong before?”

Victoria narrowed her eyes at her. “You don’t want me to answer that, Dana.”

Things were nice and relaxed for a good fifteen minutes, until the door opened again. Victoria tilted her head up to get a good look at the newcomers, and immediately frowned. Kate Marsh. There was a pang of guilt in her stomach as she glanced around the room, finally noticing Victoria, and Kate’s eyes widened. Probably planning her escape route.

“Hi, Kate!” Dana’s eyes sparkled, moving away from the bed to pull Kate into a tight embrace. “Glad you could make it. Chloe and Rachel with you?”

“Well…-“

Victoria didn’t have to wait long for the answer. The door burst open again, nearly slamming into poor Kate, and Chloe barged her way in, launching herself onto Dana’s bed. Right across Victoria’s lap.

“Fuck me!” Victoria glared at her, using her upper arm strength to push Chloe off. She wasn’t budging, and she turned around onto her back as she looked up at her. That stupid, smug, mischievous grin that seemed etched into her features caused a twitch in Victoria’s eye.

“Hasn’t anyone ever taught you to ask nicely? I’ll gladly help you out, but geez. Not in front of all our friends.”

“Babe, stop harassing Victoria,” Rachel commanded, leaning over to smack Chloe in the back of the head. A whine followed. “Especially if you want to survive until graduation.”

“Whaaaat? Icky Vicky can take care of herself.”

“ _Excuse_ me? No. We’re not on a nickname basis, Price,” Victoria breathed, nose flaring.

“But you call me Price all the time, Vickster,” Chloe said.

“That’s different. We’re not even on a first-name basis. Get the fuck off. You’ll get hair dye everywhere.”

“ _Everywhere_ , huh?” Chloe’s eyebrows waggled, and Victoria sighed loudly, grabbing the black beanie right off the top of Chloe’s head. If anything could get her to move, it’d be this, she was sure.

That seemed to make matters worse, though, because Chloe immediately grabbed over Victoria for it as she held it out of reach.

“Dude, come on, I need that!”

“Why don’t you get it surgically attached to your head, if you need it so badly? It might give you a bit more volume to your empty brain.”

“Why, I oughta-“

They struggled for a while. The other girls were watching, mainly amused, though Kate seemed very worried about the state of Dana and Juliet’s dorm room. A few things were being knocked over in the process. Chloe somehow elbowed Victoria in the ribs, and she fell onto her back to take a long breath. She held Chloe’s beanie out of reach as far as possible, and Chloe didn’t seem to mind stretching her body right across Victoria’s to reach it.

The only thing that seemed to bring them back to reality was the creaking of the door, and their last guest’s arrival. Max was watching them, arms crossed and an eyebrow raised as she leaned against the doorframe.

“Uh, wow. Did I come in at a bad time?”

“Yeah, Max, coulda knocked first before interrupting my sexytimes with Icky Vicky, Jesus.”

Victoria struggled under Chloe’s weight, and finally dropped the beanie on the floor to escape, hair disheveled and face red. Dana was doubled over on the floor, and Victoria threw one of the pillows at her. This was already a complete disaster.

“Shut _up_ , Dana.”

“I’m sorry,” Dana coughed, wiping tears from her eyes. “You’re honestly hilarious, Vic.”

“Vicky’s actually secretly in love with me,” Chloe sighed dreamily. She’d already forced herself between Rachel and Max, one arm around Max’s shoulders, and her free hand entwined with Rachel’s. Victoria pursed her lips together, refusing to comment. “It’s the source of all that bitter hatred. It’s okay, babe. You’re amongst friends now. We’re not gonna judge.”

Max sighed, trying to free herself from Chloe’s grip. Victoria could tell she was trying to make eye-contact with her. The look she was giving her was almost apologetic, like she knew how much of a handful this group of people could be and had been keeping some sort of secret.

Truth be told, Victoria didn’t blame Max. She had to feel sorry for anyone who had to deal with Chloe on a daily basis.

And maybe she was at her last straw when Chloe pulled Max closer and kissed her cheek. Victoria rolled her eyes, and forcibly grabbed Max’s arm, moving her away from Chloe’s grip.

“Stop spreading your germs everywhere, Price,” Victoria snapped. Chloe had already wrapped her free arm around Rachel, and Victoria ran a hand through her blonde hair to straighten it.

“Thanks,” Max said under her breath. Victoria waved her off, deciding to watch Juliet set up Hamilton instead of Max.

“Don’t mention it. Seriously.”

As Dana promised, Hamilton ended up being a surprise. Victoria was genuinely impressed with its ability to keep her interested, and keeping the story modern while being historically accurate. At a few of the lower-key numbers, she glanced around the darkened room. Juliet was completely invested in the musical. Dana and Kate just as much, though they were sitting way too close together for it to be considered “friendly”.

Victoria refused to look over at Chloe and Rachel, because they’d been making conspicuous smacking noises in a corner for the last fifteen minutes.

Finally, she managed to work up the nerve to look at Max, who’d taken a seat next to her on Dana’s bed. Apparently, she was trying her hardest not to look at the couple either, her head was against the wall, supported by a hand on her neck and her arm blocking her left peripheral view. She must’ve sensed Victoria’s gaze, because she turned to look at her, smiling gently. Fuck.

“Are you enjoying yourself?”

Victoria thought for a moment.

“It isn’t as terrible as I made it out to be. The musical, not our friends.”

Max chuckled, shaking her head as she sat up, stretching her joints out. Victoria had to ignore the sliver of skin that was revealed as her shirt slid up her side. “Sorry about that.”

“Price’s antics are _hardly_ your fault,” Victoria scoffed. “Are you ever going to take off that stupid hoodie?”

“It’s _cold_ outside,” Max said defensively.

Victoria rolled her eyes. “We’re not outside, in case you hadn’t noticed, Caulfield. Take the fucking jacket off, God.”

Max rolled her eyes back at her, but she seemed to cave in, and shrugged the jacket off her shoulders. Victoria could tell she immediately felt naked by the way she curled up into herself, and she shook her head at her.

“Unbelievable,” she muttered under her breath, and decided to take the opportunity to shift closer, wrapping an arm around Max’s bare shoulders. She felt a shiver, and then felt Max’s muscles relax against her side. This was a friendly thing, right? It was just a normal, friendly gesture, making sure her _friend_ was comfortable. Just like last night. Nothing to worry about. Nothing to look into.

But Max’s rhythmic breathing against her was a little bit _too_ comforting. Her skin against hers was just a bit _too_ natural-feeling. The way Max seemed to trust that Victoria was going to take care of her, that was just…it wasn’t _right_. But she was deep into it now, there was really no escaping this now, was there?

She wasn’t going to fuck up another person’s trust in her. Not this time.

By the time Hamilton was over, Max fell asleep. Curled up against Victoria’s side, in a much more comfortable position than before, while Victoria cradled her almost protectively. The minute the lights turned on, however, Victoria squinted her eyes shut and took her arm away from Max, shaking her.

“Uhmmm…uh, what…?”

“You fell asleep, Caulfield,” Victoria said pointedly. “You missed Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story. You’re seriously fucking useless.”

Max blinked her eyes open, and rubbed at her cheek. A bit of drool had almost dried on her skin while she slept. “Does that mean you liked it?”

Victoria groaned at her, watching as the rest of the girls got ready to leave the dorm. None of them seemed to be paying any attention. “It was good, okay?”

“I thought you’d like it,” Max said proudly. “I’m pretty sure you’re the 21st century equivalent of Angelica Schuyler.”

“I’m going to take that as a compliment, because I could seriously hit you, Caulfield.”

Max got up quickly, almost instinctively, as though she were moving out of reach before Victoria could unleash her wrath. As though on cue, Chloe took that as a chance to grab Max and lead her out of the room. Looking over her shoulder at Victoria, smirking. As though she’d just cockblocked the hook-up of the century.

It was really annoying how socially aware Chloe Price actually was.

Dana, Juliet and Victoria were the last ones in the room, Victoria was helping pick up some of the mess on the floor when she caught a glimpse of grey in the corner of her eye. Max’s jacket. She’d forgotten it.

“Max would probably want that back,” Dana suddenly said, and Victoria nearly jumped out of her own skin. What was she, an all-knowing fucking omnipresent ninja? “I should pop over and-“

“I’ll do it,” Victoria hastily cut her off, reaching over and throwing the jacket over her shoulder. “She lives literally right across from me. Not that far a walk.”

Dana raised her hands, a gentle smile on her face. “Sure, sure. If that’ll make you happy, Vic. I think we’ve got it from here. Take care of yourself, okay?”

The way Dana said it made Victoria’s throat uncomfortably dry. She didn’t know how much she knew about her and Max, or how much she suspected – but it was probably more than she was letting on.

“Yeah, whatever. I’m- thanks, Dana.”

Victoria mad her hasty way out of the room before Dana could start questioning her. She could stall, of course. Max could pick up her stupid hoodie in the morning. But, did she _really_ have a good excuse to avoid Max? Putting too much effort into avoiding her could backfire. Tip-toeing in the darkness to Max’s dorm wasn’t exactly innocent, either.

You’re just fucked either way, Victoria.

Puffing out a breath, Victoria strode over to Max’s dorm room. She used a knuckle to rap quietly on the door, and heard Max’s voice behind the door.

“It’s open.”

Victoria pushed the door open. Max had apparently just finished getting ready for bed, she had one arm out of her pajama shirt, struggling to find the sleeve. Paired with shorts that were absolutely _way_ too short and _way_ too distracting.

“You forgot your dumb jacket in Dana’s room,” Victoria said, balling up the fabric and throwing it across the room. Bulls-eye, right into Max’s face. She scrunched her nose as it fell into her lap.

“Ugh, you’re the worst. Can you help me?”

Victoria shook her head, closing the door behind her as she strode over to Max. “Your shirt’s the wrong way. Did you literally just try to get dressed in the dark?”

“Can you just- just _help_ me!”

She seemed so desperate, and Victoria had to suppress a smile as she stretched out the sleeve for Max. Her arm slid through, and she seemed a lot less distressed as she let out a long breath.

“You saved my life. I could’ve died.”

“Chill, you weren’t even dying.”

“I _could_ have,” Max reiterated, tone blunt. “It could've been anything. Aliens. A huge tractor beam from the sky. UFOs. Time travelers fucking up our timeline.” She paused, apparently for dramatic effect. "...Wizards."

“…You’re actually the worst human being on the face of the planet.”

They both laughed, and then there was silence. It should’ve been awkward, but it was more like they were just sharing an inside joke than anything. And whether she was ready and willing to admit it or not, Victoria really liked this.

An hour later, Victoria was still hanging out in Max’s room. She was sprawled on the floor, texting away, and Max was in bed. She’d been silent for a few minutes now, and after responding to one final text from Nathan, Victoria sat up. Max was asleep.

Victoria huffed. _Oh, sure. I’m here, I deserve attention, and this idiot falls asleep on me._

Still, she looked really comfortable, with her head on her pillow and an arm softly wrapped around her teddy bear. There was so much blackmail material she could exploit here – ‘Max Caulfield, the student-appointed Selfie Whore at Blackwell, still sleeps with stuffed animals.’ It would be hilarious.

But instead, Victoria stood up, stretched, and put Max’s blanket over her. She shifted in her sleep, and brought a hand up, rubbing at one of her eyes.

“Nngh, damn…sorry, Victoria.”

“Shut up,” Victoria whispered, soft and quiet, as she knelt towards the head of her bed. “Go back to sleep, nothing to see here.”

“Ahmmmkay. Thank you. See you in the morning?”

“I…yeah. Goodnight, Max.”

Victoria quietly made her way to the door, and as she closed it behind her, she took one final look at Max. Sleeping like a rock. The sight tugged at something in her chest, and she pointedly decided to ignore it as she walked across the hall to her own room. Closing her eyes, letting out a long sigh, Victoria leaned against the wall, sliding down to the floor and knocking her head against the door.

 _Fuck. Maybe I_ am _whipped._


	5. Believe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things between Victoria and Max are shifting, and there's only one person at Blackwell Victoria can trust with her thoughts.

Victoria needed help.

It wasn’t very often she admitted it. She took pride in being one of the most independent people at Blackwell, the one who stood on her own two feet more gracefully than the entire student body. Her flawless GPA and her spotless record reflected it.

But she needed help.

Because she was spending most of her classes looking absentmindedly out a window. Because a grey sweatshirt and graphic tees kept plaguing her daydreams. Because she’d become steadily more aggressive every time someone mentioned that she was “acting weird today”.

Even Taylor and Courtney had given up trying to get any sort of explanation out of Victoria. Every class the three of them were in together, she was either too distracted to initiate conversation, or so invested in their lesson that it seemed overexaggerated.

Victoria needed help, and there was only one person that could give it to her. Not Nathan, not Taylor not Courtney. And _definitely_ not Max.

She needed the person who had a track record of remaining unbiased, and giving optimistic advice. Someone soft, kind, and sympathetic, the complete opposite of Victoria.

Which is why after classes were over the next day, Victoria made a straight beeline for Dorm Room 222, her neighbor, who if she knew anything about her by now, was already inside, quietly scratching away at homework.

Clearing her throat, Victoria knocked.

She’d already braced herself for the look of shock that would most certainly be on Kate’s soft features, and she was right – Kate looked as though the most improbable thing in the entire world just materialized right in front of her.

“Victoria? Can I help you?”

“Yeah, actually, you can. Can we, uh, talk?”

Kate slowly moved away from the door to allow Victoria in. She’d never been in here before. It was charming and colorful, with pictures and childish drawings in colored pencil on the walls. The windows allowed light in, casting on the rabbit cage and indoor plants. There were photos of family, a few religious books on her desk, and a glittering cross hanging from her desk lamp.

It was relaxing and at the same time, slightly intimidating.

“Was there something specific you wanted to talk about, Victoria?” Kate asked, as she crossed the room to take a seat at her desk, hands in her lap. She still looked confused, though ready to listen to whatever plight Victoria was facing. “Is there…something wrong?”

“There’s a fuckin’ lot of things wrong,” Victoria grumbled, running a hand through her hair. “And I know we don’t get along, and I’ve been fucking awful to you and I’m _sorry_ , but you’re the only one who knows her that I can stand.”

Victoria didn’t elaborate who “her” was, and Kate didn’t ask. She simply gestured to her bed, and Victoria took a seat, sinking down into comfortable mattress as Kate closed the door behind them. She seemed to take the apology as a form of truce, and Victoria was grateful.

“Stay there, I’ll make some tea.”

As Kate moved to one of her cabinets to take out a tea set for them, Victoria continued. She told her about the bet with Nathan, how she was planning on using Max to stay one step ahead of him.

She told her how it was totally backfiring and she couldn’t get the stupid hipster out of her head. Like it was a plague, and Max was taunting her through every walk of the decision to embark on such a dumb bet, with camera in hand and that little “I told you so” smirk.

Kate pressed a cup of tea into Victoria’s hands, and she closed her eyes and took in the aroma. It melted most of her nerves away instantly.

“So, my question is, what the _fuck_ am I supposed to do now?” Victoria finished. “It’s too late to back out.”

“I would say so,” Kate nodded in agreement, sipping at her own tea. “Max might have an old soul, wise beyond her years, but it’s a good one. Can I ask you a question?”

“Yeah, sure.”

“Do you care about Max?”

Victoria stared at her. The tone of Kate’s question was inquisitive, but kind and curious. Like Kate was waiting for Victoria to answer the question for herself before answering her.

“…I guess.”

Kate raised an eyebrow, and Victoria puffed out a breath.

“Give me a break.” Victoria paused, and ran a hand down her face. “Yeah. A lot more than I wanted to, but yeah.”

“Then you need to show it,” Kate said, placing her teacup on the table.

“I’ve been trying,” Victoria muttered, and Kate shook her head.

“I’ve realized. And actions do speak louder than words. But you need to be more forward with Max, Victoria. You need to directly tell her how you feel, because she-“

“She’s an oblivious little brat.”

“Well, I was going to put it in nicer terms than that,” Kate smiled. “But, essentially. Have you ever dated anyone before?”

“No,” Victoria admitted. “Not seriously. Couple boyfriends here and there. One-hit wonders that only lasted a week or two before I got bored. Why, was it obvious or something?”

“Most people would have more tact when it comes to openly displaying their feelings,” Kate responded, and Victoria winced. _Ouch_. “Not to say that you don’t have tact! You just need to put it into practice. I think you’ve already made a great impression, though.”

“Really? Huh.”

Kate nodded, finishing off the last of her tea. “Really. She just mentioned to me the other day how surprised she was that you agreed to study with her. How you’ve become more affectionate. I think she’s starting to catch on, but she’s doubting herself. Doubting her own feelings.”

“She shouldn’t.”

“That’s what _you_ need to tell _her_.”

Victoria was suddenly very interested in the last few drops of tea in her cup. It was easy for Kate to say – she wasn’t the one who had the entire public eye on her at all times. She wasn’t the one who’s social life was _literally_ on the line because of this. She had nothing to lose.

But she thought about it, as Kate sat there and watched with the softest expression on her face. Victoria put so much energy into the Vortex Club. Into her entire life. Just getting up in the morning had become a chore.

Since Max had become a prominent figure in her life, however, things seemed to ease up a bit. She could unload all of her stress into something as simple as walking down the hallway with her, chatting about whatever shitty homework assignment they had due in Ms. Grant’s class. Or how stupid the Otters looked in their new uniforms. Or groaning at whatever idiocy Justin and Trevor were spewing in the café at lunch.

All seemingly-innocuous, everyday things that a person really shouldn’t think about so often, but here Victoria was. Maybe she just needed to hear it out-loud.

“Right. Okay. Thanks, Kate.”

“Of course, Victoria,” Kate said, as she took Victoria’s empty tea cup from her. “I’m going to be honest with you, I’m still pretty surprised you came to me for advice.”

Victoria shrugged, smoothing the texture of her skirt out. “You think I was gonna go to the Tasmanian Devil for advice about Max?” Kate giggled. “Fuck no. I have more dignity than that.”

“I don’t think that conversation would go very well,” Kate said, amused. “But you might have a harder time convincing Chloe, than Max’s parents, that this is a good idea.”

“Yeah, whatever.” A pause. “Do you think it’s a good idea?”

“I think so,” Kate said thoughtfully, looking down at her hands in her lap. “Max deserves someone to look out for her. She spends too much time looking out for other people, she forgets to put herself first. I think you’d be good for her.” She paused, looking back up at Victoria with a grin. “I didn’t think you were the type of person to look for approval.”

“I’m not,” Victoria’s jaw clenched. “I just need a second opinion. Make sure I don’t chicken out of this.”

“It’s okay to be nervous, Victoria,” Kate reassured quietly. “When Dana and I started to become…involved, I wasn’t so sure it was right for us, either. Right for me. But she’s a blessing. I bet you could be a blessing to Max, too. I think that God works in mysterious ways. And don’t worry, I’m not going to start preaching.”

She must’ve noticed Victoria’s raised brow, but she didn’t really mind it much. It was actually more comforting to Victoria than she could actually convey with words, mainly because she couldn’t find them.

“I think you need to search within your own heart to keep your own life afloat. Guidance can only take you so far by itself. I’ve…had to learn that myself, too. At this point, I think the only thing you can do is believe in yourself."

“Anyone tell you you’re too nice for your own good?” Victoria asked, rubbing her temples with her thumb and forefinger. “You and Max being friends isn’t good for my sanity. Or anyone’s. Ever.”

Kate only gave her a serene smile, and Victoria stood from Kate’s bed. She felt even more lost than she’d been when she walked in, if that was even possible. She knew she needed to be alone and think, take it all in. As she strode over to let herself out, she looked back at Kate. She’d already turned back to her homework.

“…Thanks again, Kate.”

“Of course, Victoria. If you need any more help, I’m right next door.”

Victoria disappeared into the hallway, back to her own room. Ignoring the several knocks on her door as she sat and thought, before people eventually gave up and left her alone for the day. She didn’t talk to anyone.

Not even Max, who’s text message she’d set an hour and a half ago was still sitting in her notifications. She was avoiding _that_ bomb for as long as she could.

Another couple texts from Max. Worrying about her absence. She was meeting up with Warren to talk about their science project, and she wanted her to be there. Victoria ignored it. Put on Spotify and zoned.

Victoria didn’t even realize it was dark outside when she finally sat up in bed. Swiping through the rest of her notifications, she sent over a text to Max.

 

 **VICTORIA:**  
We need to talk. Pool. Now. Don’t get caught.

 

 

* * *

 

 

The pool was so big.

Victoria had never noticed it before, despite the many swim meets she’d been to and participated in. It was usually filled with people, noise. Cheers and groans for their Otters as they swam circles around their competition.

She remembered the first time she’d ever been to an Otters meet. Fresh into the Vortex Club, they were usually the providers of concessions and beer. Casual drugs. The things one needed to get through the boring ass sports at Blackwell.

But Victoria was happier, she thought. Eagerly making her presence known to everyone in the vicinity. Loudly and proudly marking herself as a leader, a driving force to be reckoned with.

Now, months later, she was standing at the edge of an empty pool with her uncertain thoughts. Maddening.

Victoria knelt down, took off her socks and shoes, and let her feet dangle in the water as she waited for Max. She didn’t expect her to take too long. She was hoping the _“now”_ was demanding enough for her to hurry the fuck up before Victoria changed her mind about this whole thing.

The lights turned on, and Victoria nearly had a heart-attack.

“ _Caulfield_ , warn me next time, Jesus Christ.”

Max was sitting next to her, in her jacketed glory, sans shoes and socks and her jeans cuffed up. She looked like a fucking nerd, as usual.

But her unkempt hair and profile illuminated by pool light was attractive as hell. It made the reality of what Victoria was about to do sink down into her stomach.

“Sorry,” Max grinned at her. “You should really be used to this by now, Victoria.”

“Since when is it even _your_ job to make dramatic entrances?” Victoria huffed.

Max shrugged. “Maybe I learned from the best.”

“You’re _welcome_.”

Max shoved Victoria’s shoulder, and Victoria smirked back, nearly pushing Max into the pool.

“Hey, don’t you dare!”

“What, can’t swim, hippie?”

Max rolled her eyes. “I’m a _great_ swimmer. I’m just not a fan of walking around Blackwell smelling like chlorine. It’s gross.”

“And you know this, why?”

“Chloe and I snuck in here once.”

Victoria scrunched her nose. “Ew. Forget I asked.”

Max chuckled, leaning her hands against the pool floor. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were jealous.”

“But you _do_ know better.”

“I do.”

There was a pause, in which they enjoyed each other’s company, talking about nothing and everything. Victoria was just stalling. Maybe if they acted like friends long enough, she could forget about her feelings entirely. Things would be fine. No pressure.

But there was a stretching silence, which in reality was only a few moments, and Max put a hand on Victoria’s shoulder.

“Are you okay? I mean, I haven’t seen you all day.”

Victoria was tempted to shrug Max’s shoulder off, like usual. Reject any sort of affection from her. Instead, she wrapped an arm around her, and Max shifted close.

“I’ve got something to tell you.”

“I’m listening.”

Victoria puffed out a long breath. If she was going to do this, she may as well be honest.

“I didn’t want to be your friend,” she started. “I didn’t want to be your _anything_. People like you and me, we’re not supposed to fucking work together. We compete until we run each other out of our careers to get to the top. That’s what I wanted.”

She paused. Max leaned the back of her head against Victoria’s shoulder. Comforting her.

“But you’re different, God fucking knows why. You’re probably the only one who actually understands what it’s like. Being so talented and stuck in a place like this where we can’t flourish. It should be easy for you, though. You’re way more talented than the other idiots in this fuckhole. But you sit there and do shit with it. You don’t even _try_.”

Max shifted against her side. Victoria could tell she was getting uncomfortable, but she continued.

“And as much as that pisses me off, Max, it just makes me like you more. Clean out your hipster ears and try to understand where I’m coming from, okay?”

A long silence, in which Victoria allowed Max to process her words. Slowly, Max lifted her head. There was a huge grin on her face.

“You like me.”

Victoria’s face turned red. “That’s _it_? Out of all the terrible shit I just said, _that’s_ what you take from it?”

“Sorry, I’m taking it in still,” Max rubbed at the back of her neck. “But yeah, I figured you were set up. Every time I walked past Nathan this week, he looked really smug. I mean, more smug than usual.”

“Yeah, he’s a fucking asshole.”

“But it got different. As the week went on, I mean. I think he was starting to realize stuff was…changing. He actually came up to me and asked if I was okay.”

“Good.”

“I mean, I _am_ okay. But I’d be even more okay if we talked about what…what _this_ is,” Max continued, gesturing at the air between them. “Because I like you, too. I just…wanted to know your thoughts, I guess.”

Victoria’s lips pursed together, closing her eyes, she let out a long breath. Now or never.

“It’s what you want it to be, Max.”

“Well, I want to hear it from you first.”

“And I fucking asked you first.”

They stared at each other. Victoria could tell Max was holding in a breath just as much as she was. Max looked down at her lap, messing with a piece of fabric on her jeans. Victoria’s hand slid up Max’s arm, resting on her shoulder.

“I guess we could make things more official than just ‘those two who look at cat videos on the internet together and who people talk about in the girl’s dorm’,” Max said, and Victoria heard the smile in her voice. It made her stomach do somersaults.

“So like dating.”

“You said it, not me,” Max smirked. Victoria let out a long, low sigh.

“You’re ruining my life, Caulfield. But yeah, okay. I like that idea.”

They stayed there for a few hours, basking in the bliss and happiness of their blossoming relationship. Victoria couldn’t remember a time she’d been so content with herself and her own choices. She wasn’t sure for how long – nothing in her life stayed constant. Nothing except Max, who was currently using a pool buoy to block Victoria splashing water at her.

Hours later, when they were back in Victoria’s dorm, warm and comfortable, and Max was asleep against her side, Victoria took her phone from her bedside table and sent a quick text to Nathan.

 

 **VICTORIA:**  
You owe me ten bucks. Eat shit, Prescott.

 **NATHAN:**  
love you too.

 

She rolled her eyes, placing her phone back on her desk. Victoria leaned over to kiss Max’s forehead, and for the first time since arriving at Blackwell, she was sure, she fell asleep with a smile on her face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm actually proud of how this turned out. This work's been plaguing my head for the last week, and I'm pretty sure it started to write itself at some point. Thanks for reading! There's more in store for these two.


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